United Technologies Corporation

Rtx Corporation

Raytheon Technologies Corporation

George Alan Salisbury

John Henry Vontell, Sr

John D Riehl

David R Lyders

Xiaomei Fang

Royce E Tatton

Thomas J Robertson, Jr

Darin S Lussier

Charles R Watson

Phillip Alexander

Steven D Roberts

Jason Elliott

Isaac Jon Hogate

Xuetao Li

Bradley L Paquin

Kevin M Bell

Kenneth F Tosi

Po-Ching Yeh

Phillip Alexander Emerson

A method of manufacturing composite blades comprises: laying up a pre-impregnated composite material to form a pre-impregnated composite structure; vacuum bagging the pre-impregnated composite structure between a first pressure plate and a second pressure plate; consolidating and curing the pre-impregnated composite structure to form a fiber-reinforced composite structure; and machining an overlap portion of the fiber-reinforced composite structure to form a first fiber-reinforced composite blade and a second fiber-reinforced composite blade.

Methods of manufacture for composite blades

A blade includes an airfoil section and a root section that extends in a chord-wise direction between leading and trailing root faces and in a radial direction that is perpendicular to the chord-wise direction from an inner root face to the second end of the airfoil section. The root section defines a dovetail cross-section that is perpendicular to the chord-wise direction. The airfoil section and the root section are comprised of a composite material architecture that includes inter-section fiber plies that each extend from the leading to the trailing edge and from the airfoil section into the root section. Wedges extend in the root section and are interleaved with the inter-section fiber plies. Each of the wedges tapers in the chord-wise direction and the radial direction.

Composite blade with tapered root section

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for composite-to-metal hybrid bonded structures compromising the laser surface treatment on titanium alloys to promote adhesive bond performance. For example, a computer may be programmed to set a laser path corresponding to a predetermined geometric pattern. A laser may be coupled to the computer and apply a pulsed laser beam to a contact surface of the titanium alloy along the predefined geometric pattern. The laser may generate an open pore oxide layer on the contact surface of the substrate with a thickness of 100 and 500 nm. The open pore oxide layer may have a topography corresponding to the predefined geometric pattern. The topography may contain high degree of open pore structure and promote adhesive bond performance. Adhesive, primer or composite resin matrix may fully infiltrate into the open pore structures. Adhesive and composite laminate may co-cure to form composite-to-titanium hybrid bonded structures.

Adhesive bonded composite-to-metal hybrid vanes and method of manufacture

An assembly for a turbine engine includes an inner platform, and outer platform and a plurality of structural inlet guide vanes. The outer platform circumscribes the inner platform. The structural inlet guide vanes are arranged around an axis, and extend radially between and are connected to the inner platform and the outer platform. A first of the structural inlet guide vanes includes a structural vane body that is configured from or otherwise includes an organic matrix composite.

Organic matrix composite structural inlet guide vane for a turbine engine

An electrical probe assembly includes a flexible circuit. A plurality of electrically conductive regions is on a first side of the flexible circuit. The flexible circuit is arranged about an axis formed by rolling the flexible circuit such that the electrically conductive regions form a plurality of isolated electrically conductive bands.

Electrical probe assembly

A connector for incorporation into a heater system for inlet struts includes a body having a tapered forward end and an opposite rear end. A plurality of forward electrical terminals are formed on the outer surface of the tapered end. A plurality of rearward electrical terminals are formed on the rear end of the body. The rearward electrical terminals are in electrical connection with the forward electrical terminals. The forward electrical terminals on the tapered end are in electrical contact with a plurality of electrical contacts connected to heating elements formed in a heating mat. The heating mat entirely envelops the connector. The heater mat is formed within a substantially rigid outer shell.

Connector for heater

An electrical connector includes an electrically insulating body having a base mating surface and a stepped mating surface offset from the base mating surface. The electrical connector either has first and second electrically conducting pins extending from the base and stepped mating surfaces, respectively, or has first and second electrically conducting sockets extending from an interior portion of the electrically insulating body to the base and stepped mating surfaces, respectively.

Electrical connector with offset mating surfaces

A heater assembly for deicing and/or anti-icing a component includes a metallic heating element adjacent to a densely woven fabric layer impregnated with a resin that is capable of withstanding temperatures of up to 550&#xb0; F. (288&#xb0; C.).

Heater assembly for deicing and/or anti-icing a component

A tool for laminating a metal foil and polymer film to form a laminate structure is disclosed. A method of using the tool to form a laminate structure is also disclosed.

Growing community of inventors

East Hampton, CT, United States of America

George Alan Salisbury